Bellerophon's Story - (2)
After leaving Elysium with Pegasus in tow and returning to the fortress, the goddess Styx greeted me warmly. She had taken care of urgent matters in my brief absence and was now resting. "You're back, Hades... and you've brought Pegasus with you."
Neigh!
Some might call this overstepping my authority, but it was I who granted Styx special privileges as thanks for aiding us in the war against the Titans. Because of that, she often became the final decision-maker whenever I was away from the Underworld. Still, whenever a matter was too difficult for her to judge alone, she would set it aside and wait for me.
"All that's left is to deliver this to the hero. I was thinking of sending Hermes or Athena..."
"Shall I send a letter to Olympus?"
"Yes, please."
With that, I turned to return to my usual spot when Styx caught my eye. Her long black hair framed tired blue eyes, and she held a parchment in her hands. It struck me then just how much I owed her. Long ago, during the war with the Titans... she had helped with the Underworld's affairs and supported me through my inexperienced days. The Styx Sword at my waist felt strangely warm against my hip.
Styx, Lethe, Mente, Persephone... They were all precious to me, goddesses who cared for someone as lacking as myself. Yet had I ever properly repaid them? Her beautiful eyes were filled with trust, faith, and affection for me. As I stood there gazing at her, lost in complicated thoughts, she let out a soft laugh.
"Pfft. Hades. What are you staring at so intently? Have you lost your mind over my beauty?"
"...Yes. You look especially beautiful today."
"Wha—?! Eheheh?! Wh-what..."
The parchment slipped from Styx's fingers as her face flushed all the way to her ears. She raised a hand to cover her mouth, flustered and unsure what to do. My own voice came out a little tense as I spoke. This is just a walk... That's right, a way to repay her. Nothing more... probably.
"Since Pegasus is heading to the mortal realm anyway, would you like to join me for a flight across the sky?"
"Hup!... I-I-I'll go get ready right away! Wait here!"
Thud thud thud...Crack!
The door to the audience chamber caught on the goddess's foot as she hurried past me. Of course, part of the sturdy divine door simply broke off. Staring at the scattered debris on the floor, I thought, Should I change clothes too?
* * *
I expected her to return soon, but far more time passed than I'd anticipated and Styx still hadn't come back. ...? Just as I wondered if something had happened and considered going to check, the door burst open and Styx rushed in, looking frantic. She was bent over, hands on her knees, panting as if someone had been chasing her. Who in the Underworld would dare push the goddess Styx into such a state? Surely not another full-scale war with the Gigantes?
"Hah... hah... We need to go, Hades...!"
"What happened? Did war break out on Olympus? Or has Poseidon started another rebellion..."
"It's... heh... not that... Lethe kept following me with suspicious eyes, so I had to run a lap around the Underworld... heh."
"...Perhaps you should have some water first."
Listening to Styx's explanation, it turned out that Lethe had spotted her changing clothes in her room.
"Styx... where are you going dressed like that..?"
"L-Lethe?! It's nothing!"
"Something's suspicious..."
Lethe had trailed after her for a while after that, forcing Styx to bury her in work before she could finally escape. Styx let out a small sigh as she finished.
"Ugh... Lethe can be so persistent..."
"Given how you're dressed..."
Unlike the simple clothes she'd worn earlier, she now wore a chiton that exposed a great deal of her chest and legs. Her face, rubbed with olive oil and honey, gleamed, and golden ornaments hung from her slightly flushed ears.
"...Hades."
"...Yes?"
"If you keep staring like that..."
The faint blush only enhanced her beauty. "Would you accompany me outside, my lady?"
"...! Of course."
And so, Styx and I briefly emerged into the mortal realm together. Of course, we brought Pegasus along.
Neigh!
Pegasus, delighted to be in the mortal world after so long, ran about for a while. I stopped the divine horse, mounted its back, and extended a hand to Styx.
"Please, climb on."
"...Yes!"
I took the reins while Styx sat behind me, her arms wrapped around my waist and her head resting against my back. The soft sensation against me only made the moment more awkward. Stroking Pegasus's glossy white mane, I gave the command. The intelligent celestial horse born of divine blood would understand my intent.
"Let's go up. Into the sky above, but not so high that we reach Olympus."
Neigh!
* * *
Pegasus kicked off the ground and soared upward, its pure white wings beating powerfully and stirring the wind. Whoosh— Higher and higher we climbed. Nymphs watched us from the distant mountainside. I waved a hand to hide us from mortal eyes, then spoke to Styx behind me.
"Riding clouds or chariots across the sky isn't bad, but sometimes feeling the wind on horseback is nice too. I wanted to show you this view."
"Come to think of it, Hades, you once said this was why you fought the Titans?"
"Yes. More precisely, it was for the view from the summit of Olympus, but this scenery is similar..."
Neigh!
We climbed until clouds drifted beside us. A little higher and we would be level with the divine palace of Olympus, but I had no intention of going there. I pulled the reins, and Pegasus flew steadily according to my will. Looking down, I saw vast plains and cities that looked like clusters of dots—human settlements.
"I've spent so much time in the Underworld... I don't get to see sights like this often."
"Now that the Underworld's affairs have stabilized, you'll have more free time."
"...Thank you. Being with you makes even a sky excursion enjoyable, Hades."
Glancing back, I found Styx's face very close. Our eyes met, and she slowly closed hers. Anyone could tell what she wanted. Her red, lovely lips. What would happen if I took this one step forward? I stopped Pegasus as it glided through the heavens and slowly turned my head. My heartbeat grew louder than Zeus's thunder. The wind, the birds—nothing else reached my ears. My eyes and ears were focused solely on the goddess before me.
"Hoo..."
I exhaled, feeling strangely impatient. I was a man, after all—I didn't dislike goddesses who cared for me. But... could I make them happy? Not just one goddess, but several? I knew this was nothing more than my own prejudice, fear, and hesitation...
Just as I wavered, caught in conflict, an unmistakably artificial gust of wind blew.
Whooooosh—
"Oh my!"
"Hm?!"
Pegasus stumbled, caught in the gust. Styx, who had her eyes closed, and I, who had been hesitating, were both shaken. I gripped the reins tightly with one hand to steady the divine horse while wrapping my other arm around the goddess's waist to keep her secure. And then...
Soft.
Our lips met gently. The scent of sweet honey mingled with the goddess's presence. The minor accident in the sky had pushed me forward. Styx's eyes flew open, her pupils widening. I, too, felt my face flush and quickly turned away.
Whiiiiish—
It didn't take long to figure out who had sent the sudden wind. A male god flew in the distance, giving me a thumbs-up and a nod. Euros, the god of the east wind who brought warmth and rain, son of the dawn goddess Eos. He must have been passing by to spread the east wind across the world when he saw us and decided to stir up a helpful breeze.
You're not some matchmaking god...
* * *
As we prepared to head back, we encountered the messenger god flying somewhere. Hermes spotted us on Pegasus and spoke with a face full of curiosity.
"Oh? Isn't that Uncle Hades? And behind you, Lady Styx?"
"...Hermes."
"What brings you to the sky... Ah! Don't tell me you two were enjoying some quality time? My, I've interrupted you. Haha!"
"......"
Neither Styx nor I could say a word. After all, that soft, slightly damp sensation still lingered on my lips...
"...Is it true?"
"Enough nonsense. I'll give you Pegasus's reins—take them to the hero."
"Huh? Ah... Thank you for lending me Pegasus."
"I'll release Pegasus once he lands on the surface, so take him to a suitable place yourself."
I needed to test whether the hero who would slay the Chimera could handle Pegasus. If he could hold the reins and stay on Pegasus's back, then lending the horse would be worthwhile.
"Yes, I was planning to do that anyway. But... did something really happen between you two..."
"...Shut up."
He really did have an annoyingly sharp eye for these things.
